Checking In: Pendry Hotel in San Diego is for the epicurean and bon vivant

An oasis for lovers of food, travel and design in the heart of San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter

Just over a half of a year young, set in the heart of San Diego’s vibrant Gaslamp district, meet the luxury hotel, the Pendry. The 317 room filled gorgeous hotel boasts six food and drink venues, a 24-hour fitness center, pool, and spa. Upon entrance the hustle and bustle feel from the outdoors melt away, and a striking sense of calm overcomes you. Floor to ceiling glass windows, a lit fireplace, and unique tiled floors lead you to the tufted sofas. It’s a great spot to meet up with some friends before hitting one of the bar or eateries on site, or just to grab a seat before heading over to the concierge to check-in. As you veer right of the entrance the warm woods on the curved ceilings, dimly lit space, and smiles behind the counter are the perfect first impression. The hospitality, and incredible attention to detail remained a constant, throughout our entire stay.

We collected our room keys, which are needed to use the elevator, a super cool detail, and headed up to the tenth floor to check out our room. Before we even scanned our key to unlock the door, I just knew that the interiors were going to be nothing short of amazing. Hello, shower of my dreams! The first detail to greet us as we opened the door, was the huge floor to ceiling shower windows, black mosaic hexagon shaped tiles leading into the bathroom, bright whites, and cool metals. With the white curtain that surrounds the shower pulled back, your eyes travel right through to the plush bed donned in crisp white bedding. You know when a bed, just makes you want to jump right into it? This one was at the top of that list. Pictures first, Kristin.

Marble countertops graced the bathroom sink, as well as the mini bar, which hello, that little fridge was completely stocked with everything from sodas, and local craft beers, to fine wines and kombucha. Forgot your charger at home? No worries you can grab one right in the room, and even satisfy your sweet tooth with some chocolate chip cookies, or dark chocolate cherries from the honor bar.

The Poolhouse

Speaking of food, it was time to head to The Poolhouse, to grab some lunch poolside in one of their swanky cabanas. The sun shines about 85 percent of the year here in San Diego, and the Pendry’s rooftop pool is a mighty fine way to spend an afternoon soaking in the rays, and devouring bites like the pomegranate studded guacamole, refreshing poke, and heavier dishes like the juicy burger, or spicy buffalo chicken wrap. They offer a nice variety of cocktails, and fun frozen alcoholic beverages, perfect for beating the heat. A fan of happy hour? The Poolhouse rooftop social runs from 5p-7p weeknights, featuring half-off food and drink, and even $1 oysters.

Nason's Beer Hall

Nason’s Beer Hall let’s you dive head first into the ever-growing craft beer scene in San Diego. Pair your beer flight with some salty tender bites of house made jerkies, ranging from pork to beef, and even mahi mahi depending on the season. Pineapple and spices, teriyaki, and barbecue are just some of the flavors that the dried protein is wrapped in. You can’t leave without entering just a bit of carb heaven, ordering up their house made soft pretzel, with tiny crystals of salt that crunch with each bite covered in violet mustard.

Lionfish Modern Coastal Cuisine

Before we knew it, it was time to make our way to Lionfish restaurant for dinner. We decided to dine on the patio, which is an experience all on its own. It's a chance to enjoy a meal, while watching the constant scenes of downtown San Diego. We ordered a couple of cocktails, and soon thereafter the first dish came to the table. A bigeye tuna pizza. A thin crispy flatbread topped with truffle mustard, fresh slices of bigeye tuna, red onions, and micro shiso. It popped with flavor, such simplicity, but truly delectable dish. The crispy rock shrimp drenched in a creamy Japanese style aioli had just the right amount of heat, and packed a nice crunch. It’s hard to pick favorites, when everything at the table shines bright, but the wild mushroom gnocchi really hit the spot. Slices of Humboldt fog melted seamlessly into the pillowy bits of gnocchi covered in a browned butter sauce. The crispy sage on top finished off this earthy entree with very little effort.

What does one do after an utterly satisfying day of sips and bites? Run, don’t walk, towards the Moët & Chandon champagne vending machine of course. You can purchase the Moët & Chandon tokens from the bar in the Provisional market. A little dose of bubbly is never a bad idea, before tucking in for the the night.

Provisional

The night quickly turned into daylight, and if it weren't for the fact that I surprisingly woke up hungry, I would have never wanted to leave the big fluffy down comforter and pillows. We headed back down the Provisional Kitchen, Cafe, and Mercantile, which was already packed with guests enjoying bites of pastries, and sipping mimosas and hot coffee. An order of lattes was a must, and we decided to share both sweet and savory options for breakfast. When one reads, “Bourbon banana french toast”, it’s pretty hard to avoid such a beauty. So that it was, as well as their breakfast sandwich. Notes of orange zest laced each bite of thick french toast sweetened by the ripe bananas, and golden hued maple syrup. The sourdough bread filled with avocado, a runny fried egg, and smoky strips of bacon was a great classic to start off the morning.